This invention relates to the field of equine protector boots with the aim of assisting in the eradication of major problems encountered by the equestrian industry with the soundness of horses"" hooves. As such the invention provides a removable protective covering for the hoof of a horse.
For many years it has been known that for a horse to travel and remain sound it needs feet that are in good form and condition. This principle is embodied in the often-quoted old horseman""s saying xe2x80x9cno feet, no horsexe2x80x9d.
Traditionally, horses have been shod with the well-known metal shoe. Such shoes protect and support the outer edge of the hoof and are attached to the foot by nailing through the horny tissue of the hoof wall. These conventional shoes wear with use and also must be removed and replaced every 6 to 10 weeks as the horse""s hoof grows.
There are also many varied problems of disease and damage that are associated with horses"" feet. Abscesses in the hoof, bruises in the sole, corns, torn or ripped hoof walls or thrown shoes are just a few conditions that will prevent a horse from being ridden and/or will result in the confinement of a horse to a stable or paddock.
There is a need for a multi-purpose boot designed for easy and rapid fitting to the hoof, providing both good traction from the sole and comfort for the horse. Such a boot could be used as a substitute for a conventional shoe in day to day riding or training situations and also would have a wide range of veterinary uses (eg protecting bruised soles, abscesses in the hoof, tom hoof walls where nailing is not possible).
The present invention seeks to meet this need.
This invention accordingly provides an equine multi-purpose protector boot comprising:
Axe2x80x94a sole member with an upwardly depending rim extending around the periphery of the sole member at least at the toe and at each side, wherein the inner surface of said rim is substantially vertical at least in the region of the sides of the sole member to allow differing shaped hooves to drop down onto the platform of the sole without restriction, and the said rim is of sufficient rigidity to provide resistance to lateral movement of the hoof;
Bxe2x80x94at least one side flap located at each side of the hoof, attached to or integrated with the sole member, and composed of flexible material which is able to conform to the shape of the sidewalls of the hoof;
Cxe2x80x94an outer compressive cover, provided with means to force the side flaps into conformation with the shape of the hoof and prevent lateral movement of the hoof in the boot;
Dxe2x80x94a heel member, flexibly attached to the rear of the sole member and shaped to include at least one fastening strap adapted to pass around the pastern bone at a point within the range of 2 to 3.5 cm above the coronary band of the hoof in such a manner that it prevents the foot from lifting out of the boot.
In a preferred embodiment, re-closable complementary or mating fasteners are located on the outer surface of the side flaps and the inner surface of the compressive cover. By this means the compressive cover is releasably attached to the side flaps.
It is highly preferred that the fasteners are located or arranged in such a manner that the compressive cover may be attached to the side flaps at a plurality of positions thus allowing for variations in hoof shape and ensuring an xe2x80x9cencasingxe2x80x9d fit and compression of the side flaps. In the most preferred embodiment the fasteners are of hook and loop type, such as VELCRO(trademark).
To achieve easier fitting of the boot, it is preferred that the flexible side flaps can be opened or spread outwards as the foot is placed into the boot.
If desired, the side flaps could continue around to the front of the boot and, in some circumstances, could be joined together as a unitary flap.
The flexible side flaps may be integrated with the sole member as a two or multi phase composition to achieve the required rigidity and hard wearing characteristics of the sole member together with the suppleness and flexibility of the side flaps.
The outer compressive cover may be attached either directly or indirectly to the sole member at one or more points substantially at the toe of the sole member.
To allow for variations in length and shape of the hoof, it is particularly preferred that the upwardly depending rim on the side member does not extend along the rear edge of the sole member, thus providing an open back to the sole. This allows the hoof to hang over the edge and when the heel member of the boot is in place it can be tightened to provide an exact, encasing fit. Such an exact fit eliminates any rearward projections at the sole of the hoof and prevents the horse overreaching and clipping the back of the heel.
The height of the upwardly depending rim from the upper surface (or xe2x80x9cplatformxe2x80x9d) of the sole member may vary from 5 to 25 mm; but it is preferable that the rim is 20 mm in height. The required height depends partially on the rigidity of the material from which the rim is constructed to achieve the purpose of restricting lateral movement of the hoof relative to the sole member.
A reinforced toecap, similar in shape and function to the toecap of conventional metal shoes, may be provided on the sole member. In a more preferred form, the toecap may be wider and/or higher and encase a larger portion of the toe of the hoof than a conventional toecap. This structure helps to locate and lock the hoof into the front of the sole member. If the angle of the toecap approximates to the angle of the hoof, the result is a key-like function of the toecap. It is preferred that the angle is within the range of from 50xc2x0 to 53xc2x0, which is thought to conform generally with the angle of the toe in most horses. Particularly preferred is an angle of 52xc2x0. As the fastening strap of the heel member is tightened, the heel of the boot forces the hoof tip under the toecap.
In order to maintain the correct angle of the hoof to protect the tendons from over flexing, it is important that the point at the front of the sole member, where the toe of the hoof rests against the rim or toecap, is vertically in line with the break over point of the bottom of the sole member.
Preferably the fastening strap of the heel member is made of a resilient material which allows for movement of the horse but does not stretch enough to allow the boot to be pulled off if it is caught or trodden on.
It is highly preferred that the strap runs around the short pastern bone (i.e. the second phalanx) and over the lateral cartilage; just below the moving joint and just above the widest point of the coronary band; thus allowing the strap to sit snugly to maintain the most secure position possible on the leg. Any higher and the strap would be located on a moving part, which would restrict the joint. Any lower and the strap could not be stopped from sliding down the hoof.
In a preferred embodiment, the strap is arranged to cross over itself From its attachment point on one side of the heel of the hoof, the strap is passed across the heel, around the pastern, then back to another attachment point at the opposite side of the heel. By this arrangement, there is further means to limit or prevent the downward slide of the strap over the side of the hoof.
Preferably the lower surface of the sole member is lugged to aid in traction. The lugs may be provided integrally with the sole member or may be independent and constructed of a different material such as a hard wearing metal. Independent lugs may be removable and/or interchangeable. For some uses, such as in training, the lower surface of the sole member will be designed to provide hard-wearing qualities. In other, veterinary, uses the sole member may be chosen to provide cushioning qualities.
Materials for the manufacture of the boot include leather, canvas, synthetic such as KORDUX(trademark), CORDURA(trademark), NITREX(trademark)), rubber and nylon and should be chosen for their qualities of strength, breathability and water and abrasion resistance. Preferable materials for the construction of the sole member include polyurethane rubbers such as TPR and TPU.
It is important for the material of the heel member to be relatively strong because it is subject to stretch forces in holding the boot to the foot and to wear by abrasion against the heel of the horse.
Preferably the boot is designed and constructed of suitable materials so that the tightening of the fastening strap (or straps) exerts a pressure on the hoof from front to back. This results in a squeezing effect in which the back of the boot moves forward and the front moves back. The boot may be designed so that these relative movements are slight or significant in degree.